The Guardians

Chapter 58

Talish was still reeling at the fact that Lyra had been alive all this time. The black-haired man's offer had been accepted gratefully and it would give him a chance to catch up with Lyra. She, though, had separated herself from the others to read the book Kalmin had given her. Instead, he spoke with her companions. He discovered their names as they conversed. Saren, the man who'd given the offer, was unofficially the Commander of the Guardians of Veloce, since Faeren died in Arlan's massacre. He'd taken the lead to protect Lyra and Aiden as they fled with the Faeren. Aiden told him how Faeren refused to allow Lyra to heal him.

"I actually didn't know she was a spellcaster until sometime later. I'd taken a wound in that battle myself and didn't mention it to her. Nearly killed me. She healed me and saved my life."

"It was four years before we found out she had been a Paladin," Neve said. "We were ambushed by Arlan's men and greatly outnumbered. She saved our lives by using some Paladin sword spell."

"She's one of the few that could grasp that spell without passing out," Talish said. He wasn't sure if they knew how powerful she was or not. "I never could. She's stronger than me."

"You knew her in her days as a Paladin," the mercenary woman, Shara, said. "What's her story?"

"What did she tell you?"

"What does that matter?"

"I can confirm or deny its truth."

Aiden chuckled. "I think the last tale she told us is the truth," he said. "The Paladins saved her from the influence of a sorceress and she joined them. She never mentions her mother and she doesn't know her father. What else is there to know?"

"How does one become so powerful?" Shara asked.

"You have to have at least one parent that's a spellcaster," Will said. Everyone turned and looked at him. He realized a moment later that all eyes were on him. "What?"

"Magic is inherited?" a Knight asked.

"Oh, no. You are born with magic whether or not you have a magical parent. It's the stronger ones that have at least one magical parent."

"And if both are spellcasters?"

"It's rare for a union of two spellcasters to produce a magical child. The gods don't want someone as powerful as them wandering around. But it happens. Then you get spellcasters like Alora."

"Extremely powerful spellcasters?"

"Unfortunately."

Talish now wondered who Lyra's parents were. Were they both powerful in their own right? He was the only one here that knew about her connection with Alora. The only one who knew about the binding spell that the sorceress had placed on her and the only one who knew that Lyra herself was powerful enough to remove it. Talish had always wondered if she only matched her in power or was more so. After the conversation moved on to other things, he excused himself and went over to Lyra.

"May I join you?"

Lyra looked up. "Yes." She motioned for him to sit.

"How did you survive all this time? We'd heard that Arlan had killed or captured anyone who didn't retreat. We heard none of the Guardians retreated."

"I was using magic during the battle. Not much to draw attention to it but enough to aid us. I saw Faeren fall and I acted as a shield for him, fighting off anyone who attacked us. I heard the horn sound but I didn't move. I couldn't leave him. Aiden found us and told me we had to spirit Faeren out of there. We fled from the battle but Faeren did not survive. He wouldn't even allow me to heal him. We didn't find out until months later about the others. I used my magic to help them escape. About half of the surviving Guardians stayed behind to distract Arlan's men. I was told those that survived were murdered."

"You could say that. After we heard about that we hoped you were one of the survivors. Then we saw the wanted poster. I now recognize your friend Aiden as one of the men whose likeness was on it, but you weren't on it and we lost hope again."

"Arlan didn't know about me. Not many outside of the Guardians did. As far as we've heard, he still doesn't. Right now, I'm a secret weapon against Arlan." She turned to Talish. "The rumors I heard in the Keep were true, weren't they?"

"What?" Talish's heart began to race. What had she heard?

"And don't feed me that same line about jealousy. Just after Faeren's death, Aiden and I were in Valeria. I overheard two of the women talking."

"You can't believe every rumor." What did they say? How would they have known?

"They were talking about me and wondering if Major Gemini would ever stop beating around the bush with a certain Captain. Talish, I never meant to lead you on like that and I'm sorry I ever did."

"You... you didn't, Lyra. I love you. I couldn't help that. It wasn't something you ever did. I started falling for you during the training to help you free yourself. Your strength and will were what made me fall in love with you. I've regretted every day since you left for not telling you. I want to say this now before we are separated again."

"Talish, don't."

"I love you, Lyra."

She looked away. "I...," she began and Talish hoped she was about to confess her love for him. "I love you like a brother. I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise, but I never loved you like that."

Talish was sure his heart was going to break into a million pieces and his shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry, Talish."

"No, I... never thought you would love me like that anyway. It was... foolish of me to think that. I'll... I'm going to speak with Saren about the watches." He stood quickly, not wanting her to see his flushed face.

"Talish."

He started to walk away. Why did he even confess knowing what her answer would be? He suddenly stopped and turned back to her. "I guess I shouldn't have expected you to know how to love."

The look on her face made him immediately regret those words. Lyra stood and turned away from him.

"Lyra!"

She didn't stop and he knew he'd hurt her.

Aiden had seen the entire exchange and knew something was wrong when Lyra suddenly turned away from Talish and all but ran from him, ignoring his calls to her. Aiden followed her and found her a little way in the trees, leaning against one.

"Lyra?" He knelt next to her and she wiped a tear away, making him wonder what Talish had said to her. "What happened?"

"He just confessed that a rumor I heard while I was in the Paladins was true. Even after all the times I asked him if it was."

"What was the rumor?"

"That he was in love with me."

Aiden's heart dropped. He'd already heard from Corrin that Talish was in love with her, which was why he'd watched their exchange, to begin with.

"But I don't love him like that. I told him I didn't."

"Then why are you crying?" His voice was gentle.

"He said I didn't know how."

"Hey." Aiden moved in front of her. "Just because you didn't have an ideal childhood doesn't mean you can't love someone."

Lyra just looked at him.

"You just don't love him the way he wants you to. Maybe he's the one that doesn't know how to love. It's not something you force on someone."

Lyra gave a small smile. "What would I do without you during your rare serious moments?"

"Go crazy?"

"Thank you."